Institutionalizing a bi or tri-annual forum associated with other relevant professional conferences to share research findings relevant to the subalpine/alpine zone

Pursuing collaborative funding opportunities to leverage and coordinate research efforts

Synthesizing what is known or predicted about impacts of climate change on alpine ecosystems, by drawing parallels and contrasts to Arctic-tundra systems

Exploring resources to establish long-term research sites that will serve as a foundation for understanding change and functioning of local alpine ecosystems.

The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) and Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) are the forming a research group to stimulate collaborative and multi-disciplinary research in the alpine/subalpine zone of Southeast Alaska, as well as explore the impacts of climate change in this zone. Whereas the arctic has traditionally received the bulk of attention in high-latitude systems, especially with the growing context of climate change (Post et al., 2009), there are unexplored parallels and important distinctions between arctic and alpine systems that merit attention; yet there has been little research focus and synthesis of knowledge about alpine ecosystems in the region.

Because so little is currently known about the alpine/subalpine zone in Southeast Alaska, the near-term goalsof the group are to convene and:

Identify high-priority research needs and explore ways to meet those needs

The 2 longer term goals and products we hope to develop with the group are:

To produce a review and synthesis-oriented article (e.g. Post et al. 2009 ) establishing what is known or predicted about impacts of climate change on alpine ecosystems, by drawing parallels and contrasts to Arctic systems

Establishment of a collaborative, long-term monitoring network that integrates with other high-elevation monitoring efforts (e.g. GLORIA, LTER, JIRP) as well as serves as a foundation to understand change and functioning of alpine ecosystems more locally